Tracks

This program offers two tracks of coursework.

Assurance Services/Audit Track

The Assurance Services/Information Management track examines business and accounting concepts from the perspective of an assurance services professional. This track encourages students to develop technical, yet common sense, answers to a variety of accounting situations.

This track develops skills needed to audit or consult with multinational corporations and financial institutions. The courses place heavy emphasis on both oral and written communication skills. Students receive a firm grounding in contemporary issues in auditing, accounting and finance.

The curriculum has been designed to develop a broad business background with an emphasis on accounting and financial management. Students develop skills that require “thinking out of the box”, teamwork, problem identification and analysis which prepare graduates to react to rapid changes.

This track leads to the MS-Accounting degree with a concentration in assurance. Although most graduates of this track begin their careers in the assurance services or consulting division of a Big Four or other national public accounting firm, many graduates take positions in the accounting or finance areas of major corporations.

Tax Consulting/Financial Planning Track

The Tax Consulting/Financial Planning track provides students a broad foundation for understanding the taxation of entities and the relationship of taxes to the overall business decision process. Specifically, the track focuses on identifying tax problems, conducting research using the latest databases and interpreting the tax code as well as relevant literature.

Students not only collect information, but also analyze the data and present the results in both written and oral presentations. This track focuses primarily on the fundamental and contemporary aspects of developing tax strategies in the complex world of business.

Courses in the taxation of entities – including corporations, partnerships, estates and trusts – provide students with a broad background for identifying solutions to complex tax situations and developing sound business strategies.

This track leads to the MS-Accounting degree with a concentration in taxation. Many graduates start their careers with Big Four and other national or regional public accounting firms. Both accounting firms and corporations prefer that their professional staff have master’s degrees when entering their tax departments.